The head of the Federal Communication Commission, Tom Wheeler, is having some trouble with — of all things — communication.

In an impassioned speech on Thursday, Wheeler promised a free and equal Internet for all — but practically everyone, from Silicon Valley to cable giants, seemed to find his words hollow.

“Personally, I don’t like the idea that the Internet could become divided into ‘haves’ and ‘have nots,’” Wheeler declared ahead of a vote on his proposal for regulating the Internet. “I will work to see that does not happen,” he said.

But critics charge that the proposal, which passed by a vote of 3-2, leaves little room to stop pay-for-priority agreements between Internet service providers like Verizon and content providers, like Netflix.

“The dirty little secret is that today there are no rules that prohibit companies from offering faster service for more money,” said Harold Furchtgott-Roth, a former FCC commissioner who supports less Internet regulation and is one of many doubting Wheeler’s resolve.

Indeed, when the FCC’s previous rules for governing the Internet were tossed in January, the court ruled that the FCC must allow broadband ISPs “substantial room for individualized bargaining and discrimination” because they are not utilities.

Wheeler’s proposal is headed for an extended 120-day comment period before final rules are drafted by the end of the year.